Social Ballers

Stephen Curry named ’22-23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion

Although his team was unable to successfully defend its NBA title following a second-round playoff exit, two-time MVP Stephen Curry still walked away from the 2022-23 season with yet another accolade on his resumé.

But this time it didn’t just highlight his play on the hardwood.

Tuesday, the NBA announced that Curry was named the ’22-23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion, selected from a group of five finalists that included Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., San Antonio’s Tre Jones, the Phoenix Suns’ Chris Paul and Boston Celtic Grant Williams. According to the league, the award is given to a player that is “pursuing social Justice and advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically marginalized or systematically disadvantaged.” Curry’s work as a co-chair for former First Lady Michelle Obama’s “When We All Vote” initiative and his participation in the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition’s “Freedom to Vote” social media campaign seemingly separated him from the rest of the pack, in addition to his advocacy of the Freedom to Vote Act and philanthropic efforts in the East Oakland area. Curry will now have a $100,000 donation made on his behalf to the University of San Francisco Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice.

“I’m passionate about the work of the University of San Francisco Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice and its commitment to overcoming injustice and systemic violence through peace,” said Curry in a press release from the league. “As an athlete, I consistently leverage my platform to amplify advocacy and address the pervasive issue of systemic racism. I firmly believe that we must be vocal both on social media and in real life, taking tangible actions to effect real change in our society and for generations to come. Together, with the organization’s co-founder and director, Dr. Clarence B. Jones, we have initiated meaningful conversations around social justice with the school’s student body, doubled the charity’s donations through my foundation Eat. Learn. Play.’s gift matching initiatives, and continued building on its mission in my personal and professional life by holding people accountable and promoting the principles of justice, fairness and equality today, tomorrow and in the future.”

Last week, Curry won the Professional Basketball Writers Association’s 2023 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, which highlighted his work in the community. Now, Curry has been proclaimed to be the league’s Social Justice Champion by a selection committee that included Abdul-Jabbar and notable social justice leaders Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport Dr. Richard Lapchick, National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial, UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, Rise Founder and CEO Amanda Nguyen and NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum.

Meanwhile, the other four finalists will all have $25,000 donated to a charity of their choice, as Williams selected VisionC, Jackson Jr. chose The Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance, Jones opted for Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas and Paul picked the Social Change Fund United.

Stephen Curry headlines finalists for NBA’s ‘22-23 Social Justice Champion award

Although his team came up short in its bid to repeat as NBA champions during the 2022-23 season, two-time MVP Stephen Curry could still find himself crowned a champion for his work off the court and in the community.

Following Golden State’s second-round playoff exit in six games at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers, Curry’s quest for a fifth NBA title will have to wait at least one more season. However, Curry was announced as one of five finalists for the league’s Social Justice Champion award on Monday, joining Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., San Antonio’s Tre Jones, the Phoenix Suns’ Chris Paul and Boston Celtic Grant Williams.

Curry’s work in the community is well noted, committing $6 million in funding to the men’s and women’s golf teams at Howard University, which hadn’t been active for 50 years. He’s also hosted students from Black Cultural Zone, a nonprofit organization dedicated to community projects in East Oakland. That said, the other candidates for the award are certainly worthy for their philanthropic contributions.

Not to be overlooked, Paul’s advocacy has centered on historically Black colleges and universities, providing financial support to HBCU students and graduates, while endowing scholarships and providing more than $55,000 in grants to Black-owned businesses through Social Change Fund United.

Jackson Jr. has focused on educational and economic opportunity in the Memphis community, as well as civic engagement and women’s empowerment. He’s also committed $7,500 to assist 13 families in eliminating their overdue housing and utility bills.

With the Boston Celtics still contending for a title in the Eastern Conference finals, Williams is the only player up for the award whose team remains in the playoffs. But it’s his social justice efforts and work for criminal justice reform that has him on this list, leading the team’s Play for Justice event in September 2022.

Lastly, Jones has been a visible advocate in and around the San Antonio community, focusing on advancing physical and mental well-being as a function of health equity. Following the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde County last year, Jones formed a special relationship with the Tree City Spurs, connecting with a 9-to-11-year-old girls basketball team in Uvalde’s Parks & Recreation League after two players were killed in the tragedy and other teammates sustained serious injuries.

The winner of the award will be announced during the conference finals and will be awarded the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy, which was created to “recognize a current NBA player for pursuing social justice and advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically marginalized or systemically disadvantaged.” The recipient of the award will also receive a $100,000 donation from the league for a social justice organization of his choosing.

Additionally, the other four finalists will each select a social justice organization to receive a $25,000 contribution on their behalf.

Reggie Bullock wins 2022 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award

With his team entering Sunday’s Game 3 down 2-0 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, Dallas Mavericks swingman Reggie Bullock seemingly broke his own news via social media that he had been selected as the winner of the 2022 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award ahead of reports and the official announcement.

Posting a picture of the trophy to his Instagram story earlier in the day, Bullock further confirmed the news with a simple retweet on Twitter. Bullock captioned the picture on Instagram by writing, “Super honored to have won this award! My platform isn’t taken for granted and I’ll keep inspiring and doing what’s right for my ppl 💙🙏‼️”

According to Mavericks coach Jason Kidd in his pregame address, Abdul-Jabbar personally congratulated Bullock on winning the award Sunday morning in front of his Dallas teammates via a Zoom call.

“Reggie had no idea that we were doing that this morning, so things can stay a secret in-house,” Kidd explained to reporters. “But it’s a remarkable thing that our players are not just basketball players. But they are human, and they do have concerns. I think Reggie’s doing an incredible job with what he’s doing off the court.”

The NBA later tweeted out video of the interaction.

The award is given to a player that pursues social justice by advocating for individuals or groups of people who have been historically marginalized or systemically disadvantaged. Advocating on behalf of the LGBTQ community after his sister, Mia, identified as a trans woman and was murdered in 2014, Bullock will have a $100,000 donation made on his behalf to Kinston Teens — an organization rooted in his North Carolina hometown that works to amplify the voices of Kinston’s youth. Meanwhile, the other four finalists for the award — Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday, Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Toronto’s Fred VanVleet — will each receive $25,000 donations to an organization of their choice.

NBA Announces Five Finalists for 2022 Social Justice Award

After awarding the inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice award to Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony last season, the NBA announced on Monday the five finalists for this year’s honor.

Dallas Mavericks swingman Reggie Bullock, Milwaukee Bucks point guard Jrue Holiday, Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr., Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns and Toronto Raptors All-Star guard Fred VanVleet have been chosen as the five finalists for the 2022 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award. According to the league, the annual award is “meant to recognize a current NBA player for pursuing social justice and advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically marginalized or systemically disadvantaged.”

The finalists for the award were selected by members of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion selection committee, which includes Abdul-Jabbar, Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport Dr. Richard Lapchick, National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial, UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, Rise Founder and CEO Amanda Nguyen, and NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum. The committee also includes youth representative Kendall Dudley, who is a member of the Jr. NBA Court of Leaders.

The winner of the award will be announced during the Western Conference Finals on TNT, and will receive a $100,000 donation from the NBA for a social justice organization of his choice. Meanwhile, the other four finalists will each select a social justice organization to receive a $25,000 contribution on their behalf.

Earl K. Sneed on NBA TV

NBA TV links

https://www.nba.com/watch/video/channels/nba_tv/2016/04/21/20160421-gt-earl-sneed.nba

https://www.nba.com/watch/video/channels/nba_tv/2015/01/29/20150128-gt-arena-link-earl-sneed.nba

https://www.nba.com/watch/video/channels/nba_tv/2013/11/28/20131127-sneed-arena-link.nba

https://www.mavs.com/video/arena-link-earl-k-sneed/

Carmelo Anthony Wins Inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award

Although his 2020-21 season came to an abrupt end following Portland’s first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony still collected hardware for his work off the court.

Tuesday night, the NBA announced that Anthony was the winner of the inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award. The 10-time All-Star was specifically recognized for his entrepreneurial and philanthropic work in the Black community, embodying Abdul-Jabbar’s mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups. And after being named the first-ever recipient of the award, Anthony couldn’t contain his excitement while speaking with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer himself.

“Kareem, I was happy,” Anthony told Abdul-Jabbar as he accepted the award from its namesake during the NBA on TNT’s broadcast.

“You already know how I feel about this award,” Anthony added. “I’ve received a lot of awards throughout my life, throughout my career, but this award right here means a lot more than any other award that I’ve received. And I say that because of the times that we’re in, what we’re dealing with in our country, what we’re dealing with in the world and around the world. But also in our community — in the Black community. So, for me to receive that award, with all the great finalists that were involved in this and all the great people that could have been on this list … to honor me in that, I’m humbled.”

As winner of the award, Anthony has selected the Portland Art Museum’s Black Arts and Experiences Initiative to receive a $100,000 contribution on his behalf. The other four finalists for the award were Sacramento forward Harrison Barnes, Philadelphia forward Tobias Harris, Milwaukee point guard Jrue Holiday and Golden State forward Juan Toscano-Anderson, who will all select an organization to receive a $25,000 contribution as well. Anthony was selected by a committee composed of Abdul-Jabbar, Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport Dr. Richard Lapchick, student activist Teyonna Lofton, National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial, UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, Rise Founder and CEO Amanda Nguyen, and NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum.

Anthony later took to Twitter, posting: “Humbled, honored, and motivated to live up to the namesake of this inaugural award. I can promise that I’ll continue to carry the torch and shine a light in the places that need it most. #STAYME7O“

NBA Announces Finalists for First-Ever Social Justice Champion Award

Although the attention of the basketball world has been on the NBA playoffs, the league has continued to remain committed to the fight for social justice off the hardwood.

Friday, the NBA announced the five finalists for the inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award. Portland’s Carmelo Anthony, Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes, Philadelphia’s Tobias Harris, Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday and Golden State’s Juan Toscano-Anderson have been selected as the five finalists, which were determined by a committee of Abdul-Jabbar, Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport Dr. Richard Lapchick, student activist Teyonna Lofton, National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial, UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, Rise Founder and CEO Amanda Nguyen, and NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum.

Last month, the NBA announced the creation of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award, which will annually honor a current player pursuing social justice. The award will go to the player that upholds its values of equality, diversity and inclusion, with the winner garnering an opportunity to select an organization to receive $100,000 on his behalf. The other four finalists for the award will also select an organization to receive a contribution of $25,000.

The winner of the award will be announced prior to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on TNT.

NBA’s Social Justice Coalition Issues Statement on Policing Reform Legislation

A day before the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death, the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition issued a statement that urged for bipartisan support of police reform.

Monday, the Coalition’s Executive Director, James Cadogan, released the following statement:

“Almost exactly one year ago, George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis. Like millions around the world, NBA players, coaches, governors, officials, and staff throughout our organizations were outraged to see the horrifying and unlawful actions of the officer who pinned Mr. Floyd’s neck to the ground under his knee for nine minutes. Mr. Floyd’s death added new fuel to the protests, marches, and urgent calls for racial justice and reform locally and nationally.”

On April 20, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for the murder of Floyd. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would ban chokeholds and set national standards for policing, passed the U.S. House of Representatives in March with bipartisan support. The Coalition now hopes the Senate will follow suit before sending a bill to the desk of President Joe Biden to sign.

“Today, as this painful anniversary approaches, we have an opportunity to honor the memory of Mr. Floyd and others who have been victims of police brutality in this country by passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,” the statement added. “Systemic problems demand systemic solutions. And, because police actions are governed by a diverse array of state laws and local policies, the Floyd Act takes unprecedented strides towards consistency — reforming at a federal level the practices that failed its namesake.

“As members of the NBA family, we will continue to use our influence to support common-sense policy reform in our communities across the nation so that equal justice is afforded to all.”